As we head back to work after the holidays, many of us will have heads filled with freshly made New Year resolutions for 2020. The new year is the perfect time for a fresh start; a chance to forge new paths or redouble our efforts towards goals that eluded us last year. Whether it involves getting fit this January or simply get through our backlog of 2019 games before buying any new ones, there's plenty for most of us gamers to be striving for this January and beyond.

The same is true of our favourite video game company, too. With Switch's third birthday fast approaching, Nintendo had an excellent 2019 and it's important that the company maintains its pace in the coming year. There's already plenty to look forward to, and things are very rosy at the moment, but now's not the time for Nintendo to rest on its laurels.

With that in mind, we've picked five areas that we believe the company should concentrate on with regards to Switch in 2020. Let's take a look:

1. Improve Switch Home Menu and UI

When Switch launched back in March 2017, its uncluttered menu interface was a joy. With other manufacturers clogging their console menus with all sorts of peripheral rubbish which makes navigation sluggish, Nintendo's simple approach was a breath of fresh air which concentrated on the essentials.

Nearly three years on, though, and the number of games on the system has ballooned in a way that not even Nintendo itself could have dreamed. With games on the eShop sold incredibly cheap (or sometimes given away for free), even frugal gamers' Switches have filled up and navigating through them is much more difficult than it should be. When famed game designers are openly bad-mouthing your Home Menu, it's probably time to take things back to the drawing board.

The ability to sort games was added in a belated update, but we have hundreds of games on our systems now and hunting through icons to find what we're after is a chore. To be clear, we're all for the 'games-only' approach and certainly don't want to see Switch's menu turned into the turgid mess of Xbox One's 'solution', but there must be a simpler way to find the games we want to play in our own libraries. Folders, anybody? Nintendo could always throw in a couple more themes if they're feeling generous, too. Basic White and Basic Black are just that: basic. At least give us some more colours to match our Joy-Con!

2. Overhaul the Switch eShop

In a similar vein, the Switch eShop was fine in the beginning, but with the hundreds of games now jostling for attention on the digital storefront, not to mention the pile that drop on the sales page every week, it's arguably not fit for purpose anymore. We've spoken before about the discoverability issues and how Nintendo should be using its design chops to solve these problems. A simple 'List View' or the ability to sort games by title or (discount) price would make it easier to navigate, but the entire store would benefit from an overhaul.

3. Continue expanding the value of Nintendo Switch Online - old games, new games

The arrival of Super NES games for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers has helped increase the value of Nintendo's online subscription service, and although a small batch of fresh games dropped in December, we're keen to see more value added to the service. In the absence of a Nintendo 64 Mini, it would be great to see N64 games arrive on the system. GameCube games would obviously be incredible, although that's a little more pie-in-the-sky. We'd imagine we're more likely to see remasters of those titles.

Beyond expanding the retro roster, exclusive new games would be an interesting avenue to explore. Tetris 99 may have garnered a standalone physical release, but the game remains available to each and every Nintendo Switch Online subscriber as part of the package.

Of course, with more content there's the prospect that Nintendo will evaluate its pricing and deem its annual price of $20 too slim. We wouldn't agree at present, but while we might bristle at the thought, we'd also pay $30 a year if it gave us access to, say, GameCube games. Regardless of its plans, Nintendo needs to keep expanding the value proposition of Nintendo Switch Online.

What about the useless Nintendo Switch Online app? we hear you cry. What about Friends List integration? Yes, those things too, but to be honest we've lost all hope on those fronts; Nintendo gonna Nintendo. If we can sweep all the company's online disappointments into one pile and quietly delete it from our phones, that's not a bad compromise if it nails everything else on this list, right? Right?

4. Keep releasing games, games, games!

The lineup for 2020 isn't looking bad - we're definitely getting Animal Crossing: New Horizons - although it's likely some announced first-party games won't release until 2021. Nintendo's general habit of only discussing games that are coming in the present calendar year means that there's likely plenty still under wraps - remember that last year many of the console's biggest releases such as Super Mario Maker 2 and Link's Awakening weren't announced until the first Nintendo Direct.

It's crucial that Nintendo keeps its foot on the gas when it comes to games. The strategy of focusing all its development teams on one console with Switch has paid huge dividends so far, with a regular cadence of first-party titles in addition to a huge influx of third-party software. We imagine we'll get a couple more Wii U ports in addition to some surprises, but with new consoles coming from competitors this year, it's more important than ever that the platform holder plays to its software strengths and continues to release games that only Nintendo could make.

And speaking of new consoles...

5. Release Switch Pro baby, yeah!

Ah, this old chestnut! Last year Nintendo rejuvenated its Switch lineup with Switch Lite and the original console continues to sell like a substantial amount of warm baked goods. The standard model got a modest internal revision, but nothing that changed the outward look of the console or boosted performance beyond battery life. You could argue that talk of the rumoured Switch Pro was a little fanciful last year - muddying the waters with two new SKUs within months of each other would have been unwise - but the business realities this year make an updated model far more likely.

And that reality is a new generation of consoles from Microsoft and Sony. Nintendo may have had Holiday Season 2019 pretty much to itself, but PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are both primed to launch by the end of the year and they promise to take gaming into the next generation.

Whether or not you buy the marketing spiel for the new wave of consoles or believe that ray tracing and fast loads are enough to offer a generational leap for console gaming, the stark fact is that Switch - a system which has held its own in direct competition with far more powerful consoles in remarkable ways thanks to incredible (and unlikely) ports - will be out of its league. Ports that were previously improbable will likely become impossible as Switch's mobile chipset (now several years old, remember) simply can't keep up.

So what do we get? New Nintendo Switch? Nintendo Switch Up? We've already seen whispers of new SKUs and the rumour mill will soon be in full swing. We would assume that whatever form a new version would take, it would be fully compatible with 99% of existing software and accessories. Then again, Switch Lite removed the console's namesake gimmick, so who can possibly say what Nintendo has up its sleeve. There's only one thing for certain: the next generation is coming and after three years the standard Switch model is only going to look longer in the tooth compared to PS5 and Xbox SX. Now is the time to go 'Pro', Nintendo.

What do you think Nintendo's New Year resolutions should be? Let us know your thoughts below.

Gavin loves a bit of couch co-op, especially when he gets to delegate roles, bark instructions and give much-appreciated performance feedback at the end. He lives in Spain (the plain-y bit where the rain mainly falls) and his love for Banjo-Kazooie borders on the unhealthy.

#4 is the most important thing. Keeps them from going the way of Sega hardware. Don't go too fast, of course, because then you get a bunch of questionable games and IP damage.Eh, forget #5. Too many titles already out with 'meh' visuals and too many third parties moved on from the porting that could have been done had the Switch had some horsepower initially.

Honestly, 2019 was so big, and had so many games that I'm content with Animal Crossing: New Horizons being the main course of 2020. It's looking spectacular and will almost certainly take most of my gaming time in 2020. No rush on BOTW sequel or MP4. I'm willing to wait. I love what Miyamoto said a while back "A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad." That is key and why Nintendo is my absolute favorite media company ever. To another great year, Nintendo!

I find it strange that web version of the eShop has options like filtering for games on sale, and then organising that list according to (off the top of my head) either price, %discount, popularity, or name. Why these options online but not on the switch? Nintendo.

Number 1# sort the chat out! Dump the app. Add the option on the home screen to chat, message and party!
Number 2# deliver some old Ips - wave racer, Diddy Kong RC, f-Zero, etc
Number 3# give us some sequels as well as ports - last story 2, toad adventures 2, etc
Number 4# push Sega to release Saturn and DC titles on EShop
Daytona, virtua cop, chu ch u rocket, bass fishing, sega rally.etc
Number 5# push for more apps, iPlayer, NETFLIX etc.
Number 6# do something with the background options.
Number 7# push Capcom for another switch monster hunter entry

Number 2 is the biggest one for me, honestly. Everything else is fine really. NSO will slowly get more games. Obviously Nintendo will continue making new games, etc. I want the eshop to recommend things to me like Spotify recommends music or Netflix recommends movies.

I do think that the eshop needs a revamp to help discoverability. However, the switch home menu’s minimalist approach is something I have really appreciated (folders could be added though). The really big question I have about 2020 though is whether we will get gba or n64 games on NSO (will gba include gba color or advance games)?

I still believe the whole 'Switch Pro' idea is pure fantasy talk. Nintendo may do a 'New' revision in another year or two but that's about it. Happy to be proved wrong of course – but I really can't see it happening.

I thought New Year's resolutions were to be made by those supposed to fulfil them, but I also thought it made no sense to count a "new decade" since 2020 when this logic literally leaves the very first AD decade nine years long (there's no year 0 between the eras). Maybe Great Britain or the west in general has its own traditions in this regard, too.😆

Four out of five items on the list remain our wishful thinking until/unless they actually happen, especially the same old "Switch Pro in 2020" discussed in the vein of specs arms race (implying that there aren't thousands of older games left to port until an actual successor's advent or that PS5 and XBSX are expected to compete with Switch's trademark flexibility in return). Even if there's a chance for a "Switch Pro" to become technologically AND commercially viable before the time when it'll be more sensible to just brand it "Super Switch Advance Series U" (or some new name like "Nintendo Voyager" if you will), it likewise doesn't feel fruitful to discuss it until/unless it actually happens.

And again with Lite "removing the console's namesake gimmick". I'm beginning to wonder if NL writers are actually under this impression and have never heard otherwise. 🤔

As for #4, though, it sounds definitely probable - and I suspect that's one resolution Nintendo has long made for themselves, regardless of how well they will manage to meet it in practice.

@Lord is it me, or does every instance of "push" seem to stand for "pay" in this context?😅

NSO is fine as it is, using N64 games (which are rented, not purchased) as an excuse to raise the price is unnecessary. It should be opt-in if that’s what they’re going to do. The NES/SNES games were meant to be an added bonus to help players get their heads around the fact that they’re adding a subscription fee to something that used to be free, not the main purpose of the program (which is to play Splatoon/Mario Kart 8/Smash Ultimate/Minecraft with your friends). It should be opt-in if they’re really going to do that.

Also, relatively few people buy AAA multi platform games on the Switch so it makes little sense to release a new model just for that purpose. The graphics aren’t going to get much better from this point on anyway.

Improve the quality of their 1st party titles. So many mediocre to bad Nintendo games this gen. (1 2 Switch, ARMS, Flip Wars, Kirby Star Allies, Mario Tennis Aces, Super Mario Party, Pokemon Sword & Shield) These games hurt their IPs. Look at the Wii, not really any bad 1st party titles there besides some throw away ones like Flingsmash.

There are still a few WiiU titles that need Switch ports like Xenoblade X and W101, but I’d also kinda like Nintendo to do HD remasters of some of their Wii titles like Sin and Punishment, Last Story and Pandora’s Tower

@Prof_Yoshtonics Ordinarily, I'd say "No, make it DLC because I don't want to buy a whole new game," but 8DX has some serious mechanical and menu issues that have rendered it unplayable and undesirable with my local group.

#1 More switch games the more games the more viable switch is as a essential console for every household.

#2 No pro console. Pro console would divide the userbase and divide resources for both versions of the console. Nintendo should improve the console without improving power.

#3 Choices when releasing new console version. The lite only offers better portability but screws you with permanent joycons and no tv switching. if nintendo going to release a another switch version make sure its actually worth it by adding features actually worth it like easy battery replacement, better chat and audio features, durable joycons. If a lesser console is going to be released give it actual purpose like a tv only box that is more durable at only a third or fourth of the price of the og or best switch versions.

#4 Limited switch exclusives. Games dont even have to be permanent execlusives, they just have to start and launch firsts on switch so that the switch only features are maximized and the switch can more easily carve its own path instead of try to play catch hp with ports from other consoles.

Despite the haters marvel ultimate alliance 3 is a good example of why nintendo needs games made exclusively for the switch if only originally so that the games features can shine and not only be second or third best.

Nintendo needs to more agreesively hunt certain producers and franchises to ensure switch version is the best lr most unique version.

@koaeinferno ? Arms was brilliant - I want to see a sequel. It was refreshing and typically Nintendo. I didn’t see too much wrong with Mario Tennis Aces either. Yeah 12 switch wasn’t great but it was never intended to be the height of gaming brilliance. It was merely to show off what the new console could do and nothing more.

How do you improve the console without increasing power. A pro model is an absolute must. Switch is great but it will be 2 generations behind the consoles out at Xmas 2020. Thats going to be too much pressure to get quality ports. That in turn will only serve to see games dry up from third parties and that would lead to Nintendo undoing all of the brilliant work they have done with the switch. There is no need for it to divide a user base if it is backward compatible. Nintendo has to keep its distance from the big guys but not so far that it can no longer handle the quality ports. It’s just the reality.

@Prof_Yoshtonics Completely agree. As much as I want MK9, I somewhat doubt it just because of lack of players on the Wii U. Most people are still content with MK8 Deluxe, so it'd be a push for MK9 before 2021 or 2022. I really hope we do get MK9 in 2020, though!

@KBuckley27 Usually when a release window is given, it's because even the Big N themselves aren't quite sure when the game will release. Development, and how dev of games moves along is so difficult to predict, along with scheduling games far enough apart has always proven to give Nintendo issues with scheduling game releases. In late 2019 Luigi's Mansion 3 came out Oct. 31, then Pokemon Sword/Shield 15 days later on November 15th. I'd prefer not to have instances like that.

@Bondi_Surfer You can always hit 'Ignore' or 'Report' if you get sick of a specific user - but hiding heavily down-voted comments would also result in unpopular opinions being deleted. I like where you're going with removal of 'troll-like' posts, but unpopular opinions I actually quite enjoy reading. Even if the unpopular opinions are slightly troll-ish, they usually make me think in a way I usually would not.

@koaeinferno What 'bad' first party game have been on switch...? Yoshi's Wooly World was 'meh' to me, but Yoshi games have also taken a much different role than they used to be. Still wouldn't call ANY first party switch games BAD.

@brunojenso Yeah I think the whole concept of turning the Switch into some high-priced high-end device is outside of Nintendo's philosophy. We did get a "New" 3DS but that was more of a mild update with the right thumb nub and SNES support added.

If the notion of a Switch Pro is to appeal to the 'hardcore' gamer, then why doesn't any discerning Nintendo fan appreciate that goes against their mantra of making games for everybody? Sure, folk might cite the New 3DS but I'm not convinced it's the same coloured horse. If there is a New Switch, I would imagine it gets brought out as a replacement (with a new 'gimmick') that hopefully encompasses the Switch technology. And that would be a couple of years away. Nintendo themselves see Switch with a long life. Leave selling plastic video game consoles as if they were cars to Sony and Microsoft lol.

Massive hypocritical disclaimer...I would buy a Switch Pro in a heartbeat lmao! (It just feels very un-Nintendo to me)

As some have said before me, the New 3DS was pretty unnecessary for the most part, and if this meant that some upcoming games were worse on, or straight up uncompatible with the regular Switch, that would be terrible. Not everyone has the capacity to upgrade to the newer model, video game consoles are very expensive. Especially if you live in a country where one costs more than half of your monthly income.

I’m really surprised NL didn’t hone in on this one. It’s less glamorous than discussing a Switch Pro (for which the timing would be all wrong in 2020 - though I’d buy one) but with Switch Lite out there and Nintendo aiming to sell multiple Switches to families the method of sharing digital games has to improve.

Put simply if you buy a game digitally it should belong to the family account - not your individual account - and everyone in that ‘family’ should all be able to play it (simultaneously if they wish). The whole ‘set one Switch as primary and the other as secondary and then anyone who has an account on the secondary Switch might get access to your games if they’re online and you’re not playing it etc.’ Is terrible. It needs a multi part FAQ to explain and any function that genuinely needs a FAQ of that nature is a marketing disaster.

I’d go so far as to say it’s the number one thing that they should look to solve on a system level because it would directly unlock the ability to sell more Switches.

The things should be have for Switch :1. Themes and folders 2. More Avatars, especially Mii with Miitomo features3. Mii games4. Cartoonish Boxing games by Nintendo or 3rd party5. Fix the drifting Joy Cons problem6. Other color bundles (White, Blue, Silver, Red, Yellow, Green, Pink, Purple) 7. Change the spine design of Switch games case from plain Red and generic font into colorful background like NDS8. Get rid the publisher like EA if they don't want to commit with Nintendo and Nintendo can buy Maxis to colaborate and creating new games without DLC vampires9. Provide the underdogs genre and make it fun to play. 10. Lowering the cost of cartridge so developers will consider to release their games in physical.

6. Clean up the mess Game Freak and TPC are making with Pokemon. The flood of cheap, low effort games is really damaging the brand, time for Nintendo to prove it cares about quality and step in and overhaul how these games are being made.

#3 isn't right. They need to stop using the paltry selection of games to justify a less than bare bones online service. Just because it's cheap doesn't mean it should lack even basic functionality. Like what is the point of my friends list? I can't message them or even interact with them. Maybe I can via the obtuse phone app, but that's another issue in and of itself.

Well I totally disagree the first two and the last one has no chance of happening, but 3 and 4 are good. Also, this quote: “A simple 'List View' or the ability to sort games by title or (discount) price would make it easier to navigate”, is already a thing that you can do, so...

If only there was a way that instead of only one is playing a Nintendo Switch and you are the only account holder playing, isn't there a way to not have the 'Please select a user' while selecting a game save file or entering the game in general. That is frustrating for me cause I would love to play the game as fast as possible.

Which brings me to another point. I wish that Nintendo updated it to include even faster load times. Just waiting 5-6 seconds isn't an issue for me, but I would love it if they updated the UI to have the Switch be able to load even faster.

They'll never try to compete with Xbox game pass/ultimate and PS plus/now when Super Mario maker 2 can be $60 and need switch online solely to download levels, which is sad as the original 3ds version is still accessible and $20.

The worst case for the Switch Pro is a Wii U repeat, not a New 3DS repeat. I doubt a Switch Pro would outpower an XB1 or PS4 (and if it did, RIP battery life), so sending it out right around the time the XBSX and PS5 are getting hyped up might be a bad look.Let them play their cards first, let mobile technology advance a bit more, and THEN release a Switch follow-up.